News
Governor Wike Gets Angry, Blasts PDP
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has delivered a damning verdict on most of the Senators and House of Representatives members elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over their roles in the election of National Assembly principal officers on Tuesday.
Most of them, he said, betrayed the party and are unworthy of trust.
He accused them of selling out on the positions of the party during the heated exercise.
The National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP, early Tuesday morning, endorsed Senator Ali Ndume for the Senate Presidency.
The party also instructed its members in the House of Representatives to support the ambition of Hon Umaru Bako to become Speaker.
Wike, according to impeccable sources, mobilised NWC members to push through the endorsements despite the initial reluctance of the party to do so.
It was gathered but for Wike’s frantic efforts, the PDP wouldn’t have endorsed Ndume or Bago for the National Assembly principal posts.
The PDP supported Ike Ekeremadu for Deputy Senate Presidency. But despite the endorsements, Senator Ahmed Lawan won with 79 votes to Ndume’s 28.
This is despite the fact that PDP boasts of not less than 46 Senators.
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege was elected Deputy Senate President with 68 votes to Ekeremadu’s 37.
In the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila scored 281 votes to knock out Bago with 76.
Yet, PDP members in the Lower Chamber are over 140, fuelling speculations most of them ignored directives of the party.
Speaking on the disloyalty of the PDP NASS members, Wike said that they sold “out themselves for one plate of porridge.’’
He revealed that it is the typical act of politicians, most of whom he said he does not trust at all.
Governor Wike, while receiving visiting Bishops of the Anglican Province of the Niger Delta at the Government House, Port Harcourt said he rather trust only God who, he noted, never changes.
He said: “I don’t trust any human being. It is difficult for me to give 100 percent trust that a man will continue to be like this or like that.
‘’The only person that cannot change is God. For human beings, they can always change. That is why they are human beings.
‘’You can trust a human being but be careful to open your eyes, because anything can happen.”
He went on: “So as a Politician, one group you must watch very carefully are the politicians. They are easily swayed. Some believe. When they believe, they believe.
‘’Something can entice Politicians and they change. If you watch what happened at the National Assembly, you can see that this attitude of Politicians.
“You see the party has a position, before you know it, they are selling out themselves for one plate of porridge.
“This one has a case and he wants them to withdraw the case. These things we know and we are guided about it.
‘’I will never let my guard down to say everybody is with me. The only person I can be comfortable with at all times is God. If it is human being, no.”
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the planned increase in electricity and telecom tariffs as unconscionable.
The statement comes after the telecoms regulator last week approved the increase in mobile tariffs.
The federal government also recently said that plans were ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months.”
However, Sani, who said the government’s plan is unreasonable, insisted that it should be halted.
The ex-lawmaker also expressed his support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the scheduled protest against the government’s proposal, calling it a welcome development.
“The planned increase in electricity tariffs in the midst of poor power supply and the proposal to increase telecom tariffs is unconscionable and should be halted. The scheduled labour union protest is a welcome development,” he posted on X.
The United States President, Donald Trump, has revealed his decision to cut off all future funding to South Africa, citing poor treatment of “certain classes of people.”
Trump made this known on Sunday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
According to Trump, South Africa was seizing land and mistreating some citizens without concern for the violations of their rights.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.
Reports suggest that the American leader may be defending White South Africans, some of whom have alleged that the South African policy is unfair to them.
There are indications that the federal government will on Monday meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to stop the planned Tuesday nationwide protest against the 50 percent telecommunications tariff hike.
A reliable source familiar with the matter, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this on Monday morning, noting that the meeting between the NLC leadership and the federal government is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday.
The source said the meeting was a “dialogue on matters of national interest as it affects Nigerian workers.”
According to the source, it will be an inter-ministerial meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), purposely to resolve issues raised by the NLC concerning the federal government’s approved upward adjustment to telecommunications tariffs, which the NLC, its allies, and others are vehemently opposing.
This comes as the NLC is already mobilizing workers for a mass protest tomorrow (February 4) against the 50 percent tariff hike approval.
On Thursday last week, in a letter to affiliate unions and state councils, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja urged them to mobilize other Nigerians to send a serious message to the government.
The planned protest follows the 50 percent telecom tariff approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on January 20, 2025.
The approval had sparked widespread rejection among telecom subscribers.
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